Ex-students honour UNILAG DSA

Coalition of Ex-students Leaders in Nigeria have inducted the Dean of Student Affairs, University of Lagos, Prof Olatunde Babawale, as their grand patron for his role in defending the rights of students and ensuring that they get fair hearing.

President of the group, Mr Kingsley Nwanze, said Babawale deserved the award for leading the university authorities to ensure fair hearing for students and managing crisis successfully, citing the Unilag crisis of 2005.

He said the professor, who was a lecturer then and chaired the crisis management committee set up by the institution during the crisis, made the students realise that they do not always need to protest violently to be heard by the university management.

Thanking the students, Babawale said the induction was a source of inspiration that students do not forget good deeds. He said it would spur him to do more.

He advised the students to believe more in dialogue than confrontation.

“Student unionism can be productive, not confrontational and in the case of protest, make it peaceful. Believe more in dialogue than confrontation,” he said.

The Dean tasked the group to keep tabs on him and call him to order if he goes astray.